On Lycans
by aadarshinah
Summary: A Study of the Quileute Shape-Shifters" by Edward Cullen, Ph.D., M.D., with notations by Emmett Cullen, D.V.M., M.Eng., Lady's-Man, Man's-Man, Man-about-town. Blackwater. Part of The Guide universe. One-Shot.


**On Lycans**  
A Study of the Quileute Shape-Shifters  
by Edward A. M. Cullen, Ph.D., M.D., M.B. ., _et cetera  
_**[with notations by Emmett Cullen, D.V.M., ., Lady's-Man, Man's-Man, Man-about-town, **_**et cetera**_**]**

* * *

"_Doubt thou the stars are fire. Doubt that the sun doth move.  
Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love."  
_Hamlet in William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_

* * *

Commonly and mistakenly called werewolves, human-to-wolf shape-shifters (_Homo__ sapiens lycanthropii_) are a unique species found only amongst the direct, usually agnatic, descendants of the one they call Taha Aki, a ancient chieftain of the Quileute tribe, to be found in north-western Washington, on the Pacific coast. The wolves of this day are the great-grandchildren of Ephraim Black, their leader; Levi Uley, his cross cousin and second-in-command; and Quil Ateara, which reliable records show is at least the fourth of that name but is called "Older Quil" by his descendants.

Those of the Levite line were the first to "phase," or undergo the bodily changes needed to shift at will from human form to wolf and back again, a process that resembles Kawasaki Disease in both duration and symptoms, although the "lycanarche" (first phasing) occurs usually well after puberty in normal cases. These "symptoms" will often shift into normative Lycan physiology, including but not limited to tachycardia in excess of 150 b.p.m. at rest, hyperpyrexia in excess of 106 °F/41 °C, and mild photophobia... **[And smell like wet dog. Bet you don't have a fancy word for that.]**

Lycanarche, as afore stated, was noted to start in the Levite line, though this may be do to members of this branch being on average two years older than members of the Black and Ateara lines. The eldest, Samuel J. Uley, then 19, was the first to phase – again, either attributable to his age or the fact he was the son of the eldest son of the eldest son of Levi Uley; – followed shortly by Paul R. Uley, 19 and the son of the eldest son of the second son of Levi Uley; - and Jared C. Uley, 18 and the son of the son of the eldest son of Levi Uley.

Embry A. Call, a bastard commonly held to be of the Levite line, at 16 was next, shortly followed by the one male member of the Black line, Jacob I. Black, 16, being the son of the son of the son of Ephraim Black.

The Ateara line round out the initial phasings, with Quil Ateara (seventh of the line, called "Young Quil" or simply "Quil"), 16; and the siblings Leah J. and Seth D. Clearwater, 19 and 15, the children of the son of the eldest son of the sister of Quil Ateara (fourth generation). In the history of the Quileute shape-shifters, Leah was the first female to undergo the lycanarche...

Lycanarche appears to be related to the presence of vampires(_H. sapiens vampyrii_), the natural enemies of the shape-shifters, in their home area, and the gene appears to remain latent in members of the subspecies who are not exposed to to vampires for multiple generation. Without karyotyping, it is impossible to tell a latent _H. sapiens lycanthropii_ from their _H. sapiens_ cousins, and are able to interbreed without notable complications, though it would appear that the twenty-fourth chromosome the Lycan offspring of such a pairing is isodisomially disomic due to the aneuploidy of the species... **[You could use real words here, Eddie-Boy. Just say the chromosome is an exact duplicate of their carrier parent's – is that so hard?] **_[If you understand what I mean, what exactly is the problem?] _Basic gene mapping of the Olympic Pack show that the twenty-fourth chromosomal pair is, within ninety-six percent, identical in members of the Ateara line, offering credence to...

When the Quileute shape-shifters were first discovered in 1936, the ratio was three werewolves to five vampires. In 2007, this became eight werewolves to seven vampires and, later, sixteen werewolves to twenty-eight vampires...

...these later phasings were, like those of the Clearwater siblings, amongst _H. sapiens lycanthropii_ whose descent contained both male and female Lycan ancestors. This contained three Levites... **[Don't let Kate know you're calling them Levites. She'll make something of it, I know. And it won't be pretty.] **and three Ateara Lycans, being Matthew D. and Judith E. Mora, 13 and 12, the children of the daughter of the second son of "Older Quil;" and Zachary M. Clearwater, 12, the son of the second son of the sister of "Older Quil"...

Socially, _H. sapiens lycanthropii_ resemble both their lupine and human cousins, arranging themselves into hierarchical groupings they call packs, headed by an "Alpha" and seconded by his "Beta," that are stricter and more dictatorial then their canine counterparts. In the initial pack, although Jacob was the only heir of the previous Alpha, Ephraim, his admittance into the pack came long after it had been formed by Samuel (hereafter referred to as "Sam"), who served as its head with his cousin Jared as Beta. This, as well as internal pack tensions that became exacerbated as the pack grew larger, eventually attaining ten members, a 333% increase in size compared to the previous pack. Eventually, the original pack split in two:

The La Push Pack, of Levite ancestry and the Olympic Pack, of primarily Ateara lineage...

Whereas in most _C. lupus _packs, the Alpha pair are followed usually the parents of the others in their pack, with _H. sapiens lycanthropii_ the position of Alpha is one of maximum physical prowess... Because positions of power in the packs are determined based off the power of the individual, allowing for "coups" inside each. However, because the direct agnate descendants of the previous Alpha are usually stronger then the descendants of other members of the pack, the ultimate position is effectually hereditary. This, as with the earlier lycanarche of direct male-line descendants then those whose linage contains female carriers of the twenty-fourth chromosomal pair, may be a result of less homologous recombination in spermatogenesis or positive interaction with the Y-chromosome... **[Again, Eddie, is this even English? **_**I**_** don't even know what this means, and I've been around you and Carlisle for **_**how many**_** years?] **_[Seventy-five in March. And this is supposed to be a scientific paper. If you have something to say to me, Emmett, tell me, don't besmirch my paper with it.] _**[This is why people don't like you, you know.]**

Compared to _H. sapiens, H. sapiens lycanthropii_ tend to be larger, faster, and stronger... Reaching adult hight (6'1" - 6'8") shortly after lycanarche, there is a direct relationship between the height of a Lycan in human form and that of one in wolf form... as well as sexual dimorphism, wherein observed females of the subspecies being between four and six inches shorter than comparable counterparts...

The Olympic Pack contains _au currant_ seven members: Jacob Black; Leah, Seth, and Zachary Clearwater; "Young Quil" Ateara, Embry Call, and Judith Mora. At its formation in late August, it was only Jacob (Alpha), Leah (Beta), and Seth, gaining Quil and Embry in September. With the advent of three younger members (Matthew and Judith Mora, and Zachary Clearwater) in January, Quil became Beta, allowing Leah to take the position of Alpha female...

For a time the only female shape-shifter in the tribe's history, Leah as yet provides the only insight into direct divergence of the subspecies. Previously, the continuation of the linage necessitated a human mate, necessitating that Lycans would only ever be a subspecies of _H. sapiens_, as any strong divergence from the human genotype would be reproductively inhibitive...

Despite their human upbringing, the Olympic Alpha pair **[Jacob and Leah, or, as Kate would say, Yisra'el and Kiwi]** _[No one who reads this will care what Kate calls them.] _**[I care.] **_[Yes, but you're not exactly reading here are you?] _**[If I don't read it, who will?] **_[Carlisle, Jasper...] _**[Jasper is always amused by Kate – I think he reminds her of Alice.] **_[I know what you think Emmett.] _**[You have any idea how gay that sounded? Hmmm? I thought not.] **exhibit many of the courtship rituals of _C. lupus_, including but not limited to mouthing of muzzles, touching of noses, mutual grooming, sleeping close together, and walking so they may touch. These actions grow more and more prevalent with the coming of winter, which, for Lycans and wolves alike, is mating season. Nor do they appear to be limited to their wolf-forms, and may continue even when one or both parties appear human. Starting in early fall, the female will start to give off hormones... **[If Carlisle and Jasper are the only ones who'll read this, isn't it much easier just to say, Leah starts to smell like blood, gets her period, and gets knocked up by Jacob? Ooh, if you write up the part with the Punnett squares, show Leah for me. I tried to explain it to her yesterday and I think it went over her head] **_[Over your head, you mean.] _**[You're just mad you're not a Lady's-Man, Man's-Man, Man-about-town like I am.] **_[Yes. Of course, Emmett. That's _so_ obviously it.] _**[Was that sarcasm? My dear baby brother, I think you're finally growing up.] **...leading to menstruation and, if applicable, pregnancy...

It is interesting to note that, between her lycanarche and the schism of packs, the lack of menstruation... **["Interesting to note?" Jesus, Eddie-boy, such a comment counts as stalking, not science] **However, with the coming of the first mating season after the schism, menstruation resumed, suggesting that, as the sole female of the group, her genes refused to allow for the possibility of conception with a less-than-suitable target, mainly anyone who was not the hereditary Alpha of the packs...

**[This is ridiculous: if you're going to stalk Jake and Leah and write about their sex life, this is how you do it:] **Once upon a time there was a group of lots of guy werewolves and one girl one. Due to whatever mystical power first changed them into werewolves, animal magnetism, plain ol' love, or something else, the Alpha and the girl wolf hooked up. And though generally they fight all the time and have the weirdest conversations about squirrels and stuff, they really do like each other, as evidenced by them going at it like rabbits, and the fact the girl wolf is up the pole. There's nothing really "scientific" about two people falling in love, only that they just both happen to be werewolves. And that maybe it's because they're werewolves they fight so much. I doubt it. I think they just like arguing, just for fun, or foreplay, or both. 'Sides, what hot-blooded male _wouldn't_ fall for Leah? She is hot – don't pretend you haven't noticed – for a mutt, and goes around barely dressed when she's dressed at all. I'd be more surprised if none of them tried to do her. The end. **[So what do you think?] **_[I think you're an idiot.] _**[Words can hurt you know.] **_[Can I get back to my paper? Thank you.]_

As Emmett **[Doctor Emmett] **_[I'm not calling you Doctor Emmett.]_** [If you give me a minute, I can find my nice shiny paper that says "Emmett McCarthy Cullen, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine." If this is a formal paper, I should be called Dr. Cullen.]** _[There are four Dr. Cullens in this house, loathe as I am to admit it.] _**[Dr. E. Cullen then.] **_[Emmett, in case you have forgotten, "Edward" begins with an "E" as well.]_** [See. Doctor Emmett is the way to go.] **As _Doctor_ Emmett has so kindly pointed out, with the Alpha female currently with child **[21****st**** century, Eddie-boy. **_**Nobody**_** says "with child" any more. Not even Carlisle.] **the question that becomes readily apparent is: can _H. sapiens lycanthropii_ become a species in its own right, _Homo lycanthropii_, perhaps?

**[No, the main question is "Are the twins both girls, 'cause if so I split $8652.91 with Quil and Kachiri.] **

For this to succeed, the problem of the twenty-fourth chromosome arises again. As has no pair in _H. sapiens_ x _H. sapiens lycanthropii _mating, evolution has appeared to favour genes that allow for DNA replication in the twenty-fourth chromosome while the other twenty-three are undergoing chromosomal crossover in the prophase of meiosis. But in _H. sapiens lycanthropii _x _H. sapiens lycanthropii _mating, this could prove disadvantageous. As both parental DNA will contain a copy of the twenty-fourth chromosome, should both copies have replicated themselves during meiosis, this will cause Tetrasomy 24. If this is the case, the condition does not prevent the phasing of said offspring _in utero, _but what effects this might have are hereto unknown.** [I have an idea Edward. Don't show this to Leah. Or tell her. Or finish this paper.]** However, if the replication of the twenty-fourth chromosome was environmental rather then genetic, then this should result in the first chromosomal crossover of the genes, which, while probably asymptomatic, may result in larger differences in the wolf-forms then otherwise noticed between Lycans, possibly to the extent that said offspring may not prove to be future Alphas, for reasons of Lycan social formations noted above. **[Oh, so it might not be bad? Okay then. Wait! This means that **_**any**_** children they have will be werewolves doesn't it? That completely messes up the odds on my bet... meaning it's just a 1 in 4 that they'll be two girls rather then 1 in 2... I've got to go find Jasper] **Whatever the actuality, it _is_ certain that any offspring the Alpha pair, or any other mating Lycans, might have will be Lycans as well. Logic suggests that, whatever hormone activated the twenty-fourth chromosome in the mother will activate it in the children as well...

In conclusion, while many of the genetic quandaries of the Lycan species will have to wait until after the first generation of _H. sapiens lycanthropii _x _H. sapiens lycanthropii _children to be born, with the exception of carry-over lupine tendencies, _Homo sapiens lycanthropii _remains a subspecies of humans, following human social habits, identifying more with their humanity then their shape-shifting abilities, and, yes, mating based on human characteristics. Based off of these and other facts, it is too early to tell a separate species is viable, let alone which cousin species it might identify more with. However, with two female Lycans now in the species and at least one is of childbearing age, my only conclusion is that in the coming decades there will be a proliferation of children with two Lycan parents. **[And I'm back... And I gotta agree with you, bro. Jake and Leah, mating season or not, can't keep their hands off each other. I'm betting they'll have at least two more kids before she's twenty-five...]**

a/n: This really came from no where, except the idea was tickling at me. Emmett, if you can't tell is in **[bold]** while Edward's responses are in _[italics]_. There is a poll up on my profile if you want a stab at guessing the (leprechan) gender of the twins for a silce of the $8652.91 pot. Bets are still being accepted.

In other news, I went to see _New Moon_ this morning, hated it, as expected, and was mildly suprised that a school had taken some of its 6th graders to see a 10am movie on a friday... and that there were women in their 40s wearing movie t-shirts and giggling more then schoolgirls. and that the person i was nearby struck up a convo with me and mildly gasped when i told her my feelings on sm's writing abilities and the adding of renesmee to the plot. then she tried to convert me. I wrote this, so obviously she failed.

And **Luci-Marlena** - I did not steal your squirell. Or Seth. I think I would know if I had Seth holled up in my room.... (*drools* *dabs*) But this can be part of your Blackwater-Forever-(Edward/Bella-sucks-more-than-blood)-etc campagin. You can think of a better name.


End file.
